Gallagher won the race against Democratic challenger Tom Nelson. Both were vying to replace Republican Reid Ribble, who said he was not seeking another term.

Gallagher released this statement after the race was called:

“I am deeply humbled by the faith and trust the voters have placed in me, and in the months ahead I hope to continue to earn that faith and trust every single day by representing the hard-working families of Northeast Wisconsin with honor and integrity.

I want to thank the hundreds of volunteers that sacrificed their time to advance our common-sense, conservative vision for change. Having never run for office before, I’m incredibly proud of the bottom-up, grassroots campaign we built in such a short period of time and I owe a deep debt of gratitude to everyone who made that possible.

I commend my opponent Thomas Nelson for throwing his hat into the ring. He fought a tough race and I wish him well in the future. But now the hard work begins. As your Congressman, I am ready to roll up my sleeves and fight every day to make our government work for We the People. We won’t achieve change overnight but I’m convinced that through focused hard work and principled leadership we can make our country safer, stronger, and more free.

While we may not always agree on everything, I will work to represent all the citizens of the 8th District as best as I can, to hear all sides, and to always give you an honest account of where I stand and why. I will do my utmost to always remain faithful to you and your families, to our community and our values, and to our country and the Constitution that guards our God-given rights. Semper Fi.”